Windsor Farms Woman Calls Police on Black Man Riding Horse at Museum

RICHMOND, Va. — Less than a week after making its Richmond debut, “Rumors of War” is already causing quite a commotion. 

Windsor Farms resident Karen Roberts contacted the Richmond Police Department last night to report a suspicious man riding a horse around the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), authorities revealed Monday. Roberts claims that the man’s presence was highly unusual due to the time and place, and absolutely nothing else. 

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“There’s no reason for that bla-, uh, person to be out so late, and the fact that he’s on a horse makes it all the more suspicious,” Roberts explained, justifying her actions as a necessary precaution. “It’s just better to be safe than sorry. It may be nothing, but I’ve never seen a bla- uh, I mean, a person on a horse past 10 p.m in this neighborhood before.” 

Roberts was quick to dispel any notions that her grievances were associated with anything other than seeing a man on horseback so late at night in the city. 

“I don’t see color,” says Roberts. “So the fact that he is black had absolutely nothing to do with anything. I know some people may want to think that, but it’s not true whatsoever.”

Investigators say Roberts described the individual as ”a black man with long black hair in dreadlocks or cornrows or whatever” and wearing athletic footwear “like the kind you’d see in rap videos.”

After making an illegal U-turn on Arthur Ashe Boulevard, Roberts pulled into VMFA to interrogate “Rumors of War” as to his reason for being there so late at night. When Roberts got no answer, she decided to call the police. 

“I’ve seen this sort of thing before,” Roberts said. “I know my rights, and I’ve watched enough episodes of ‘Dateline’ to know when something’s up.”

Roberts further stated that the VMFA was most likely private property, which made it trespassing. When police asked why she felt justified in trespassing herself, her only reply was, “Well, that’s different. I live in Windsor Farms.”

Police questioned “Rumors of War,” but dropped the investigation due to the statue of limitations. 

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